From the Library: Travel guides: enlightenment or embarrassment?

I couldn’t have planned a trip to Paris without going to the library first. Since I work there, admittedly all it took was a detour to the 914s on the Morrill Memorial Library’s second floor and I was good to go. I’m a travel book junkie. For me, half the fun of going anywhere is to read about it first, then point to the passage in the guidebook and say (to myself), “I’ve been there,” or “I did that,” even if it wasn’t all that great.

I’ve never set foot in Seattle or Siena but I’ve been to the City of Light three times. Three of my four daughters have spent at least a semester there, and three times I’ve crammed my carry-on with travel guides from Fodor, Frommer, and Rick Steves.

Like the card catalog, “Europe on $5 a Day” is history. I searched the Minuteman Library Network holdings and was thrilled to find a modern-day (well, 2006) equivalent, Frommer’s “Paris on $95 a Day,” which I requested through interlibrary loan. The cent symbol next to Hotel Henri IV (read: cheap), centrally located on the same island in the Seine as Notre Dame and Sainte-Chapelle, clinched it. Although the 87 steps up to the room were brutal and the loofah-like towels painful, at 60-odd euros a night who could complain?

The Hotel Kensington, prefaced with a single $ in Rick Steves’ Paris, had caught my eye while planning a previous trip. While not situated “within Camembert-smelling distance of rue Cler,” this “safe, tidy, village-like pedestrian street,” according to Rick, is “so French that when I step out of my hotel in the morning I feel like I must have been a poodle in a previous life.” And he wasn’t kidding when he added, “Eiffel Tower views for those who ask.” Thanks to Rick, 10 minutes before the hour each night I could stick my head out the window and see the Tower’s sparkling light show. The room was so small I had to step over my suitcase to get to the window, but still.

Guidebooks apparently have their place. After a hailstorm forced us inside our cafe I whipped out my bright yellow copy of Fodor’s to see when Berthillon, “headquarters of the haute couture of ice cream,” was open for dessert. My mortified daughter made me put it away. But what to do about dinner? Bistro or brasserie, steak frites or frogs’ legs, mousse au chocolat or millefeuilles… My companions had a radical idea. Why not simply wander around and pick a place at random? I wanted a restaurant write-up while they wanted to wing it. We compromised, and I found that not always going by the book works too.

You can’t go wrong with any of these guides. They all provide French translations for essential phrases like “where’s the restroom?” and “how about that wine list?” I particularly like the “Need a Break?”, “Off the Beaten Path,” and “Fodor’s Choice” margin notations, plus the “Word of Mouth” sound bites submitted by readers. Like Fodor’s, Frommer’s contains some beautiful photographs but is a bit more basic.

Features include “Most Unforgettable Travel Experiences,” “Best Moderately Priced Hotels,” “Most Unforgettable Dining Experiences,” “Best Things to do for Free (or Almost),” and “Best Neighborhoods for Getting Lost.” I focus on places labeled Finds, Value, and of course, Take a Break. My favorite travel author, however, is Rick Steves. His hand-drawn maps, self-guided walks, and suggested itineraries are great, but what I enjoy most is his conversational style. Like asking a trusted friend for his advice on what to see--and avoid.

On a day-trip from Spain to Tangier, Morocco, Rick warned us that “most visitors develop some intestinal problems by the end of their visit, and most women are harassed on the streets by horny but generally harmless men.” His most useful advice was to “hire a hard-working, English-speaking guide for 15 euros a day, since on your own you’ll be to street guides what horses’ tails are to flies.”

We lucked out with Mahjid. Having lived in the states for over 20 years, his English was as impeccable as his teeth were terrible. Rick’s colorful comments combined with Mahjid’s informed narrative and protective presence made our brief taste of old world Morocco a memorable one.

Next time you take a trip, check out the library’s selection of travel books. You’ll find everything you need in the stacks: where to stay and eat, must-see sights and local secrets, recommended side trips, shopping, nightlife, and tips on not looking like a tourist.

April Cushing, Adult Services Librarian at Morrill Memorial Library, is filling in this week for the ‘From the Library’ column usually written by library director Charlotte Canelli.